1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a motor and more specifically to a motor that includes a connector housing, to which an external connector is connected.
2. Description of Related Art
One type of previously proposed motor used in, for example, a power window system includes a motor main body, a speed reducing unit, a control circuit board and a connector housing. The motor main body generates rotational force. The speed reducing unit includes a speed reducing mechanism received in a gear housing to reduce the rotational speed of the motor main body. The control circuit board includes electric circuit components. An external connector is connected to the connector housing.
In one such motor, the connector housing is integrally molded with the gear housing. In another motor, a receiving portion, which has an opening and receives the control circuit board, is provided in the gear housing or in a receiving member secured to the gear housing, and the connector housing is secured to the opening of the receiving portion. Furthermore, the control circuit board includes connection terminals, which are received in the connector housing when the connector housing is secured to the opening of the receiving portion. The connection terminals are connected to corresponding terminals of the external connector when the external connector is connected to the connector housing. Such a motor is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,107,713.
In the case of the above described type of motor, in which the connector housing is integrally molded with the gear housing, in order to provide various motors, each of which is connectable with the external connector of a different shape or the external connector of a different inserting direction, various gear housings, which are considered to be a relatively large component, need to be manufactured while using the same motor main body, the same speed reducing mechanism and the same control circuit board as universal components. This will cause an increase in motor manufacturing costs.
Furthermore, in the case of the motor disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,107,713, the connector housing can be changed to allow connection of various external connectors to the motor. However, as described above, the connection terminals are provided in the control circuit board, so that when it is desired to obtain various motors, each of which is configured to connect with a different external connector having a different set of terminals (e.g., having a different terminal interval) or each of which is configured to connect with an external connector of a different inserting direction, it is required to manufacture various control circuit boards and various connector housings. This will cause an increase in motor manufacturing costs.